


A New Warmth

by bihershel



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gender Dysphoria, M/M, Menstruation, drownout2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25147702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bihershel/pseuds/bihershel
Summary: When Hershel finds Randall struggling at 3 am , he decides to take care of him & confront his true feelings for him.
Relationships: Randall Ascot/Hershel Layton
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	A New Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> Note: There are mentions of menstruation that may make afab trans people uncomfortable,, I'm writing this as a trans person so I believe I wrote this as respectfully as possible, but if there's anything you find wrong with it please let me know!!
> 
> I thought people might like some happier content due to my last fic being really angsty, can you tell I like to write about chamomile tea a lot? (Also Ao3 won't let me make custom tags on mobile so I will likely edit it later)

At some point in the middle of the night, Layton woke up with his throat feeling quite dry. He checked the time on the clock on his bedside table. 3 am. Well, about as good a time as any to get some water. He got up slowly, as to not wake Randall… wait.  _ Where was Randall?  _ The spot Randall normally occupied next to him was strangely vacant. 

The two of them had been living together for a couple years after they both graduated from university. Both of them thought it was more efficient that way, as they'd both wanted to work with each other on archeological research regardless. Quite similarly, they agreed that sharing a bed would be more efficient for… something. However, they both agreed that it was a perfectly reasonable idea. 

To be perfectly honest, they both knew something was up... or at least, Hershel did. But it never felt like the right time to bring those feelings up to Randall, as they were both very busy. Speaking of Randall, his spot on the bed was still very much empty. Hershel decided to get up and look for him, because he was thirsty anyway and needed something to drink. 

Luckily, Hershel found Randall almost immediately. The man was standing on a chair and rifling through the top medicine cabinet in the kitchen… in nothing but a t shirt and his boxers. Hershel blushed a little at this inwardly, but something was more pressing at the moment. Why was Randall looking through the medicine cabinet at 3 in the morning? He looked pale, and he was clearly sweaty. 

Hershel cleared his throat, causing the other man to nearly lose his balance and fall off the chair. Once he regained his composure, he yelped,"Hershel, don't do that! You really know how to take years off one's lifespan, don't you." 

"I'm sorry," Hershel said. "But you were very focused. Are you alright?" 

"Yeah, it's fine. Where are the painkillers, Hersh?" Randall was growing more exasperated.

"I really don't mean to pry, Randall, but you don't look very well. And if you're looking for the painkillers, they're right in front of you."

"I knew that. Thanks." Randall took two pills & swallowed them down with some water almost immediately. "The truth is, my uh… my period came back."

_ His what… Oh!  _ The realization hit Layton like a brick. He knew Randall was trans, he'd known since they met, essentially. But he never really talked about it. Growing up, Randall was just one of the guys, and anyone who said otherwise was promptly beat up by Dalston.  _ I suppose in the end, his heart was in the right place,  _ Layton thought, then turned his attention back to Randall. "I thought the testosterone made it go away?"

"I thought it did, yeah… but I guess that's not 100 percent guaranteed, even if you've been on it a while," Randall admitted. While he pretended to act nonchalant about it, he still looked clammy. He was shaking hard enough to make the pill bottle rattle a little bit. 

"Why don't you go back to bed, Randall? Give me a moment, and just wait for me." Randall nodded, and went back to the bedroom, ready to crawl under the covers and hide until it was all over. 

A few minutes later, Hershel came into the room with a tea tray and a hot water bottle. He gently placed the water bottle on Randall's abdomen, eliciting a sigh of relief from his lips. Then, he poured out a cup of tea & handed it to Randall. 

"It's chamomile. Mother always made it for me when I wasn't feeling well," he explained. "I hope it'll help."

"Thank you, Hersh. Um… you're still…" he mumbled. Hershel's hands were still on Randall's, despite Randall taking the cup from him. Hershel jerked his hands away quickly, nearly spilling the tea from the cup. They both sat there flustered for a moment. 

"Say, how do you know how to take care of… this? You are cis, aren't you?" Randall asked, breaking the silence. 

"Well, Henry—"

"Henry what?"

"Never mind. Do you need some more blankets?" Hershel asked, deflecting the question. 

"That would be nice, actually… wait, you're dodging my question! Hershel, what does Henry have to do with all of th—"

Randall's sentence was cut off by Hershel cupping the side of Randall's face and giving him a quick, charged kiss on the lips. When Hershel pulled away, he looked at Randall's face worriedly, scanning it for any signs that he upset the other man. He looked bewildered, and Layton took that as confirmation that he made a grave mistake. "Randall, I—"

Randall put a finger to Hershel's lips. "Let's talk about it later. For now, let's just..." Randall grasped Hershel's face and pulled him back in for a longer, passionate kiss. It felt nice, finally feeling the other man shudder at his touch, and sharing the feelings they denied themselves for so long. Eventually, Hershel broke off the kiss, leaving both of them red and gasping for breath.

"I'll get those blankets for you now," Hershel said, quickly getting up. "How about we just sleep tonight and talk about this tomorrow?" 

"Alright," Randall said. He paused for a moment. "Hershel?" he asked. 

"Yes?"

"I… I love you."

If it was possible for Layton to blush harder, he would have. "I… I'm going to get those blankets now," he said, hurriedly exiting the room. No matter. He just needed some time to think, was all. They'd talk about it in the morning. Hershel came back with the blankets, and the two men fell asleep, with Hershel nestled in Randall's arms. The tea went cold unnoticed, but neither of them were particularly bothered by that. A new warmth was shared between them now. 


End file.
